Under The Stars
by AveryTruth
Summary: When life gets tough, Gabriella has always turned to the park to calm her down. The stars had always soothed her. What happens when she meets a guy there who has the same philosophy.


Her heart felt heavy. Like someone had just hit her square in the chest with a hammer. She couldn't quite explain the feeling. Was this how it felt to break? To be completely alone? Was this what it was like to actually be the only person she could run to? Herself.

She couldn't explain exactly why she was feeling this way. There wasn't one exact moment in time where she felt someone had broken her heart all together. The pieces of her heart just broke one by one until it was one complete and shattered mess.

Her family wasn't there for her.

Her boyfriend had moved away. And then broke up with her.

Who was she to turn to now?

She rolled over in her bed and stared at the clock. 11:54. She sighed before turning back over to face the wall. She couldn't sleep tonight. She couldn't sleep almost any night. She was wide awake thinking of ways to make her life better. If there was any possible way.

How had she let life get to her like this? She used to be so happy until everything came crashing down around her. She was at least glad that it all hadn't happened at once or she might not know how she would be standing so tall right now. See that was the thing with Gabriella. She could act like nothing was wrong with her in front of a large crowd but once she was alone she would break down. Right then. Right there. She didn't know why she couldn't tell just anybody what was wrong with her.

She sprung up from her bed and walked out onto her balcony. She just needed to get out her house for a little while. Clear the air. Maybe that would help her. Cause if she didn't do something fast she was afraid she might just break down. And to Gabriella breaking down was crying. And she hated crying with a passion.

She stood up from her bed and went over to the closet. She grabbed the coat from her closet and put it on. It was the call of night. She pulled open her bedroom door and strode out into the hallway and climbed down the stairs before exiting her household altogether.

She took double the stride she would normally do down the pathway and turned left heading to the one place that always made her feel better. One place that always made her feel alive. The one place where she could just let of everything and leave the past behind her. She felt like a little kid there. She used to go to the park every day when she was younger and it just made her so happy so this was her destination for tonight.

She took another left and walked that straight and narrow path until she came upon a park on the left side.

As she stumbled upon the park she saw a stranger sitting on the bench by himself looking up at the stairs.

_That's weird_ she thought in her head as she approached the man sitting on the bench. She walked right past him first to get a good look at him before sitting down on the bench, keeping her distance from the stranger next to her. She took a side glance at him and noticed that he was staring up at the stars. She turned her gaze to the night sky above her. It really was pretty this time of night.

She sat there for another awkward silence before asking the question that was now beating her mind.

"What brings you out here this late?" she questioned as she turned to the man beside her. He didn't register what was being said to him until he turned to the girl sitting next to him. He pulled out his headphone that Gabriella hadn't realized at first was in his ear.

"Excuse me?" he asked embarrassed.

Wh-What brings you out here this late?" she sputtered out again.

He shook his head in acknowledgement telling her that he had now heard her question before pursing his lips together thinking. "I don't know. It's just relaxing just sitting out here. Forgetting the rest of the world."

She sighed in acknowledgement and then looked at him again. "I know what you mean. You just want to get away sometimes. To escape."

"Yes. Exactly. It's like everything is out to get me. Like my life just veers off track and then I just come here. Look up at these stars and they always remind me that no matter what happens in my life that things will just get better. They soothe me. I don't know why but they do. Ever since I was a little kid."

"Oh don't worry you worry.' Gabriella said while looking up at him, 'they do the same thing for me. That's actually the reason I'm out here tonight. I needed to get away. Get away from my hectic lifestyle and get some down time."

"What's got you so jumbled anyways if you don't mind me asking?"

"Life is just finally catching up with me. I was going at such a good pace and now everything is just weighing down on me. My family doesn't understand anything I am going through. Well besides the fact that I haven't told them anything that has happened in my life. I am just that kind of person. I keep things just locked inside of me until I explode. I think this is my breaking point." She said laughing at herself.

"And what exactly has you coming to this breaking point." He said turning to her so he was now facing her.

She shrugged before continuing. "Well I had this boyfriend. Keyword had. He had to move a few months back. Ever since he left he just changed. Everything he used to never do down here he does up there. It just isn't like him. And before he left we had agreed that we would still stay together. Eh long distance relationships are hard but I thought I could do it. Oh boy was I wrong. Everything just went downhill since he touched soil on New York territory. Then I found out a few weeks ago that he had found another girl and just wanted to be "friends." And wow. I can't believe I just told you all that." She said completely stunned that she had just told a stranger something she had never told anyone before.

She didn't know why she couldn't just talk to somebody. Maybe it was the fact that maybe she was ashamed that they might think less of her if they found out that she wasn't good enough for him. That maybe she just gave up on him. Everyone had loved him and thought they were perfect together and she didn't want to crush their dreams. Maybe it was just easier telling a stranger because he wouldn't judge her.

He sat there in silence while she sat there appalled that she had just spilled that out to him.

"Sorry I just told you all that. I bet you don't want to know my whole life story. Or for that matter how pathetic I am."

"Oh don't worry about. I asked remember. And besides you don't sound pathetic at all. You just sound like a deep down romantic who thought anything was possible in a relationship.' He leaned over squeezing her knee. 'don't worry. Every one gets disappointed once in their lifetime."

She scoffed then looked up at him. "Thanks for the confidence boost buddy." She said laughing.

He rose his hands in defense before saying "I'm just being honest. Life isn't perfect. Nor are relationships."

"True dat." She said in a daze looking down at the floor. "So why are you out here? I believe I did ask you first." She said looking up into his eyes once again.

"Well since you felt so kind to oblige your story to me might as well tell you to the story of my life. My best friends a bitch. Everything and anything always has to revolve around him. I try to tell him something and he always reverts it back to him. I mean he can act like everything revolved around him some other time. Right now I just need him. He doesn't understand that at all. I mean he is a cool guy and all but honestly I just wish he would show some more respect than he has previously."

"Sounds understandable to be pissed about. What did you need to talk to him about?"

"This might sounds stupid but me and him have always been close. We are like this' he said before raising his hand showing his two fingers crossed. 'but college is coming up. And I have to decide what college to go to. I really want to go to one up in California. Berkely. But he just won't listen. He doesn't understand it. He doesn't even want to hear the reasons. U of A is everything he believes in and he won't budge on it. I mean that's fine if he stays there. But me? I don't want to."

Gabriella shook her head. "That doesn't sound stupid at all. If that's what you want why should anyone fight you on it?"

He raised his voice excitedly before shouting "Exactly. That's the point I have been trying to get across to him for the past few weeks."

She shook her head in agreement. "If that's what you want then you should go for it."

He nodded his head before staring out at the swing set. "Our lives are fucked up."

She laughed out loud before nodding her head in agreement. "You got that right. That's for sure."

He looked over at her before squeezing her knee once again before looking up at the stars. "Don't you worry though. Things will get better. I promise. These stars are telling me so."

"Are you really trying to convince me that my life will get better because of stars –err what's your name?" she thought at the last moment.

"Troy. And yours?"

"Gabriella."

"Pretty name. And yes I am telling you that. Stars can make anyone's life better if you give it a chance. They relax you. They give you strength. They make you stronger."

"We still are on the same subject right? Stars?"

"Last time I checked…yes."

"Good to know. I just don't believe in any magic like that. I believe in my own fate. I make things better for myself. I make my life what it is. No one else can control it but me."

He nodded his head in agreement. "Good philosophy."

"Thanks."

The two then sat there together for the rest of the night discussing other philosophies that they believed in and many more stories that had to do with their life. Both telling these secretive of stories to complete strangers that they had just met. Not a care in the world that they would never see each other again.


End file.
